Arch Insurance Australia has appointed Brendon Terry (pictured, left) as northern region branch manager and head of property, and Jarrod O’Connor (pictured, right) as southern region branch manager and head of accident and health, the company announced Thursday.
Both Terry and O’Connor were promoted from within the company. They report to Dominic Brannigan, regional manager.
As regional branch managers, Terry and O’Connor will oversee day-to-day operations and broker engagement across their respective regions. In their business line roles, they will continue to lead the delivery of Arch’s underwriting strategy across property and accident & health, respectively.
Terry is based in Sydney and O’Connor in Melbourne.
Brannigan said the appointments would strengthen the company’s leadership structure across both regions.
“Brendon and Jarrod are highly respected in their respective markets and have continually demonstrated expertise in leadership and delivering value to brokers,” Brannigan said. “These appointments further strengthen our leadership structure within Arch Insurance Australia and position us well to spearhead strategy across the Northern and Southern regions. Their promotions reinforce our ongoing commitment to aligning closely with our brokers’ business models and supporting their long-term success.”
Terry joined Arch in 2024 as property underwriting manager. He previously held underwriting and management roles at Vero and Chubb. O’Connor joined Arch in 2022 as accident and health underwriting manager, having previously held underwriting and management roles at AFA Insurance and Accident & Health International Underwriting. Both bring more than 15 years of insurance market experience to their roles.
The appointments form part of broader leadership activity at Arch Insurance Australia in recent months. In January, the company appointed Andrew Whitlock as northern region casualty underwriting manager, with responsibility for casualty underwriting across New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, and Queensland. In February, Aisling Hegarty was promoted to head of professional indemnity, responsible for leading the professional indemnity team, setting underwriting parameters and overseeing portfolio development nationally.
The series of appointments comes as the Australian insurance market undergoes notable market shifts.
On the property side, conditions have moved in favour of buyers. According to Marsh, property insurance in Australia has recorded some of the steepest premium reductions globally, a trend attributed to a relatively benign period for natural catastrophe losses. Average property insurance rates declined by 5% to 15% compared with the previous year, with the Pacific region experiencing a 13% fall in the second quarter of 2025.
Industry analysts at Bellrock Advisory said in January that insurers were offering notable premium reductions for well-managed, attractive risks, supported by increased local and international capacity and broader terms and conditions. However, properties in flood- or cyclone-prone regions continue to face higher premiums and tighter terms.
The accident and health segment presents a different dynamic. Australia’s personal accident and health insurance industry is forecast to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 4.6% between 2026 and 2030, with direct written premiums rising from $35.7bn in 2026 to $42.8bn by 2030, according to GlobalData. Demand for personal accident cover has increased alongside higher workplace attendance, with insurers reporting a rise in journey-related claims as commuting activity has grown. At the same time, medical cost inflation, wage adjustments, and broader inflationary pressures are contributing to higher insurer costs.
